Too Much time on my hands

Earth Day Thursday - Reuse that 8-Track Tape

Raise your hand if you know what this is.

I was born in 1973 and we definitely had an 8-Track player in our living room. When I was about 6, I gave my dad a slow death with this.

I kid you not, Barry Manilow was my first crush and I still remember all the words to just about every song. That jumpsuit slays me.

So, when I found eight 8-Track tapes at my favorite thrift store a few weeks ago, for 89 cents each, I grabbed them all. I had no idea what was going to become of them, but I just knew I HAD to possess them.

This is what I came up with.

How fun! It is a charging station for an I-Phone and I-Pod.

The case popped apart easily and the kids had fun playing with miles and miles of tape I extracted from inside each tape. I used a screwdriver and pencil and just pried that sucker apart.

However, I had a devil of a time cutting through that plastic casing.

Getting the opening just perfect took 4-EVAH.

I used an X-Acto knife, going over and over and over it.

I wound the cord inside where that tape was wound and popped the end out of the side where the tape would have been exposed-I wasn't going to try to make another hole through that bomb proof plastic. This way the cord pulls out easily to adjust the cord length quickly.

I Mod-Podged the edges of the paper label around the hole I cut. I popped the other end of the cord out and used heavy duty epoxy to be sure it wasn't moving...anywhere.

I made 2 and am currently in the process of another creation with another tape. 3 down and 5 left...any ideas of what I should make with them?

Here are some of my favorite 70's inspirations to get the juices flowin.

I made some mean mini cakes in one of these

Now that everyone is sufficiently retroed up for the day-have a good one

P.S. I think all this 1970's inspiration fueled my current blog design:)

Labels: crafts, earth day thursday, upcycle

2 More (Oh, I know, don't start) Pallet Shelves

Raise your hand if you would like to stop hearing about wood pallets...

this is me ignoring you...

hee hee

OK- I just had to share these two chalkboard pallet shelves I made and then I promise to hush up about the pallets for a while (like at least 2 weeks).

I painted a snazzy chalkboard on the front

and added a little jar to the front too.

I painted this one white and added a chalkboard

and a hook

This one is REALLY roughed up!

So promise, really, promise, I am cut off from my pallets for 2 weeks!

BUT, I had a dream last night and it featured a new pallet project (I have issues)...that I have never seen anywhere else before...so it will probably be seen here in like....2 weeks.

Labels: ETSY, projects, upcycle

Rustic Wood Pallet Shelf

You thought I was joking about my new nickname

"crazy pallet lady,"

but I was serious, very serious, so serious in fact that I made 3 pallet shelves this week.

Here is the first one, and don't say anything bad people, because I am in love and don't want anyone to burst my bubble (hee hee).

I attached that silver clamp thingey from the plumbing section and fit a small Ball jar in it. It was a devil to get screwed in too!

This is a bit smaller than the first one I made, but easier to handle for sure. There is still room for books, wine bottles, utensils, whatever.

This was the Minwax Polystained shelf from my experiment on Wednesday.

I really do LOVE the color and it is sitting in my ETSY shop right now, just waiting patiently for a new home.

Labels: projects, upcycle

Earth Day Thursday- Reuse Glass Bottles

We get milk delivery from Longmont Dairy and I love it for MANY MANY reasons.

Mostly, I know where my milk comes from and where and how the cows live. The cows don't get antibiotics or artificial hormones and it tastes soooooo good.

They use old fashioned glass bottles and I always have a few lying around. The dairy doesn't even yell at me if I keep some here to use when I have parties. I was thinking, what kinds of projects could I use these great bottles for?